Corset-shield.



B- K. RICHARDSON.

CORSET SHIELD.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 23, 1911.

V Patented Apr. 16, 1912.

l/Wwvrssrs A TTV.

COLUMBIA PLANOOIAPH C-, WASHINGTON, D. C.

UNITE STATES ATENT OFFICE.

BERTHA KING- RICI-IARDSON, OF ATTLEBORO, MASSACHUSETTS.

CORSET-SHIELD.

Patented Apr. 16, 1912.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BERTHA K. RICHARD- SON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Attleboro, county of Bristol, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oorset-Shields, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to protective shields for wearing apparel, and particularly to such a shield adapted for use on corsets.

In the construction of the usual corset there is employed more or less of spring steel which is liable to rust, thus losing its resiliency and also staining the covering fabric. This is particularly true of certain parts of the corset. One of the parts par ticularly affected and particularly conspicuous is the area at the top of the corset front. At this portion of the corset the steel strips which form the front and carry the catches are particularly exposed, especially in the wearing of lingerie waists and dcollet dresses. On account of the warmth of the bosom this portion of the corset is particularly liable to rust and in the wearing of the larger sizes there is a rapid deterioration of the corset at this point.

To the end of affording protection against the difliculties set forth above I have devised my present invention, which consists of a shield adapted to inclose or bind the upper edge of the corset fronts in such a way as to effectively protect them against the liability of rusting.

My invention will be more fully described in the specification which follows. In the drawings which form a part of that specification I have shown, as an illustration of my lnvention, a form of shield which I have 'found particularly adapted for this purpose.

Throughout specification and drawings like reference numerals are employed to indicate corresponding parts, and in the drawings :Figure l is a view of a corset equipped with my shield, Fig. 2 is a plan view of a shield spread out flat, and Fig. 3 shows the device in folded form.

My shield consists of two areas 9 and 10, connected at their upper end by a web 12. The two areas 9 and 10 are formed by cut-- ting away a portion, leaving a gap 11.

When the device is folded, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the open space 11 will be formed along one edge as a gap with a portion of the web 12 folded above it. A pair of these shields is provided for each corset and the shield is applied by folding it about the edge of the upper end of each side of the corset with the web 12 inc-losing the upper margin of the corset edge. The free edges of the shield may then be caught down by basting, stitching, pinning or in any other suitable way.

The shield is preferably made of some material impervious to moisture, as for example any of the well known fabrics used for this purpose.

When applied as shown in Fig. 1 my shield will be found to offer a complete protection to the upper edges of the corset, thus preserving them against rust and maintaining a neat and fresh appearance of the corset.

Various modifications may obviously be made in the construction and application of the shield, all without departing from the spirit of my invention if within the limits of the appended claim.

What I, therefore, claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is A corset shield formed of an integral piece of flexible fabric and comprising a pair of protective members separated by a vertical opening between them for a portion of their length to expose the clasps of the corset front and leaving a connecting web for the remainder of said length to form a lateral binding for the upper edge of the corset front, said members being folded upon each other along said web in central alinement with said opening whereby said shield may be applied to the edge of the corset front to inclose and cover the upper portion of said edge while leaving the remainder of the edge of the corset front exposed for the engagement of the fastenings thereof, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

BERTHA KING RICHARDSON.

Witnesses:

HAROLD K. RICHARDSON, CARROLL C. THAoHnR.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

